Yes, and a specialist assessment is appropriate after two or more episodes of wheezing in a child, particularly when episodes are occurring more than once or twice a year, when a bronchodilator has been needed to manage an episode, when episodes are associated with specific triggers such as allergen exposure, cold air, or exercise, or when the child has other features of allergic disease such as eczema or persistent nasal symptoms. Treating each episode of wheezing individually without investigating the underlying cause means that the condition driving the recurrence is never identified and addressed. In many children with recurrent wheezing, the underlying mechanism is asthma, allergic airway disease, or both, and the appropriate management is not a repeat course of oral steroids and nebulisers at each episode, but rather a structured long-term treatment plan that includes a regular inhaled corticosteroid to reduce airway inflammation, a short-acting bronchodilator as a reliever, trigger identification and avoidance, and a written asthma action plan for parents. At Nest Pediatric Clinic, Tilhari, Jabalpur, I provide specialist allergy and asthma assessment for children with recurrent wheezing, using a detailed clinical history, examination, and where appropriate, objective lung function assessment, to identify the underlying mechanism and develop an individualised management plan.
Written by Dr. Nivedita Seehra, MBBS (Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik), DCH (Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences), Fellowship in Neonatology (IAP), AASC (Allergy Asthma Specialist Course), PGPN (Boston), Consultant Pediatrician and Neonatologist, Nest Pediatric Clinic, Shop No. 107, First Floor, Mohit Skyline, above Nukkad Food Point, near Hotel Viajn Mahal, Tilhari, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh 482020, and Jabalpur Hospital and Research Centre, Russel Chowk, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh 482001 (Monday to Saturday, 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM, phone: 8878140558). 20+ years. 25,000+ patients. Phone: +91 9009474777.
